'Through the lens of an often-tender family portrait, the author delivers a biting portrayal of a France steeped in hypocrisy and false smiles, where equality of opportunity is all smoke and mirrors ... A novel that's bang on the money, coursing with a chillingly legitimate sense of grievance.' Slate
'Like
every accomplished novel, La Discrétion does so much more than tell a story. It asks questions ... Faïza Guène's mastery of her subject matter means she doesn't come down on either side but accompanies her
characters towards the light.' Le Monde Diplomatique
'Faiza Guene is an important voice in French literature, rebelliously dissecting ideas of home, identity and belonging with a universally accessible intimacy and power.' Diana Evans
'Wonderful. A vivid, soulful novel. Guène's Paris is a place of grifting and grafting where young rebels rub up against calcified traditions. This is a writer at the height of her powers, addressing issues of migration and belonging with defiance, zest and humour.' Bidisha
'One of the hottest literary talents of multicultural Europe.'
Sunday Telegraph
'This book, blending liveliness and power, is a must read which brings an intimate dimension to the theme of intergenerational transmission. I have cried a lot reading Discretion. Discretion is the account of an ordinary story which could have been mine or yours. All these stories are important, invaluable: it is our generation's duty to pay tribute to them.
Dune Magazine